Thursday, August 18, 2011

A venue at which two Indias met....

Sorry guys. I'm not talking about the grounds outside Tihar Jail, Azad Maidan or the RamLila grounds. The venue at which the two Indias met was posh - very 'elite' ( how that poor word gets over used, abused and flung around as a gaali!)and the crowd provided a fantastic overview of the controversial two Indias - the richest and the lowliest. And yet, not a single person was made to feel uncomfortable, guilty or apologetic. The occasion was the celebration of Real Heroes, a cnn-ibn initiative, partnered with Reliance Industries.On stage was the richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani, along with the poorest - a scavenger's son, who was one of the 24 awardees. It was such a powerful, emotionally charged moment when, without any barrier or self consciousness, the two interacted, shook hands and for at least those few minutes, wiped out the vast chasm which separates their respective lives. That such a thing is possible in today's India is momentous in itself. This is the big change... and no matter how cynically one deconstructs it, those 24 award winners are true representatives of this churning - each and everyone of them. Their lives, their stories are more compelling than anything that is going on right now under the name of India's Second Freedom Struggle.
I feel sorry for all those misguided people who are busy pointing fingers and spewing venom at anybody who does not toe the Hazare line and shout slogans lauding Anna.Rooting out corruption is on every right thinking citizen's wish list.But surely not through clumsy dadagiri that does not tolerate dissent. After the Arab Spring, an Indian Autumn? Who knows. Tomorrow is another day. I think it rightfully belongs to Bezwada Wilson,the man who made the shocking discovery as a child that his parents worked as manual scavengers, and decided to set up 'Safal Karamchari Andolan' , a movement that has spread to 5 States besides his native Karnataka.
I would support any Bill proposed by this man. Campaign and vote for him if he ever decides to jump into the political arena.
Oh... ooooops! Forgot to post my 'elite' pics, wearing red lipstick and drinking champagne in a swish Brussels' bar. Tch. Tch.

51 comments:

Oopss... for a moment I became so happy with the title of the blog about 2 Indias meeting. I thought you finally put up a review for the movie Aarakshan (the movie has the same kind of punch line- India vs. India). But alas, turned out to be a different post. Not that I am complaining :)Your observations and writing gives us a food for thought every day!But can you please please pretty please watch Aarakshan and let us know your feedback for the same :)Love,Shailee

I thought for a moment that you are writing something positive and you understand the feeling of the people.But ultimately you came down to the point that has been lurking in your mind since ur last post :) And you vented it out and sadly it was totally predictable ..... Keep trying harder .... I found one thing common between you and Rakhi Sawant. Both of you succumb to cheap publicity stunts ... and your popular weapon is going against the wave ... If 92% Indians support something (92% people supported the Jan Lokpal as per an independent survey by Times of India), Shobaa De got to go against it. How else can you grab attention otherwise !! I suggest you try something new ....

Wow... This article amazed me! I thoroughly enjoy reading your articles but at times your opinion differs way too much. I agree with Satrupa, you surely like to grab attention with saying the opposite stuff. This might lure people to your blog. For once, Mrs. De, get real and get practical! If only you had lived a your life like a common man, you'd know... But, guess, you celebrities consider yourself too 'elite' to get your hands dirty in causes!

Still wondering why your supporting this Wilson man? Did he pay you to write this post?

I knew you'd spew venom at Anna. You are a very predictable package. And why ? The reason is obvious. He is not sexy. He is not glamorous. He doesn't hang around in Los Angeles in an armani suit with champagne in one hand & cigar in another. He doesn't speak that lingo that we speak. He doesn't belong to that cosy club that we belong to? Too bad....for us. Those who admire Hussain who painted Bharatmata naked will definitely not like anna. He is a dehathi. He is raw. He is rugged. He speaks from the heart. That's why he could take the high & mighty head on. They have not met anyone like him. They don't know what to do with him. Whenever they try to subdue him, they come back with egg on their faces. He is always one step ahead of them. Whichever way they turn to it is always checkmate & game for anna. Their tried & tested dirty tricks boomerang on them. At the end of the day they were virtually arrested by anna ! It is not anna but the nation esp the youth who have nailed them to the wall & made them bend behind backwards to toe anna's line. These politicians who suffer from verbal dysentery & intellectual constipation have no plan B to deal with this guy. And that's the reason people love him & gather to support him in millions all over the palce like honey bees. They too have not seen anybody like him. They have never seen the people in 'high places' stumped like this & they simply love it & come back for more. He is perfectly what the doctor ordered. They know we can't be like him in a million years. They were waiting for such a messiah. Those who don't like him can fret & fume & wring their hands. He is our mahatma & like it or not he is here to stay. You said in Headlines Today that he is certainly not Gandhi. Really ? Too bad anna couldn't get that approval from YOU. tch tch !!!!Of course when there are duffers who call you to give opinion on vital issues effecting the country instead of asking you about who'd be sexy ? Sallu bhai or Akku, you have a democratic right to babble whatever comes to your mind. But you'd be doing a great service to the nation by not airing your precious opinions on such issues which nobody takes seriously.

you were expected to stick to your opinion on Anna. I don't agree that a strong Lokpal will be able to eradicate corruption, but in Anna people have found a voice,the pent up anger against corruption has come into the open.We are in a situation, where people don't even get death certificate without paying bribe.Anna is not holding government to ransom, but it's govt.'s inaction, which has created this situation.

let me get this right. You are able to identify the message behind Raj Thackerey's movement and ready to ignore his means and intentions. But you completely ignore the meesage of Team Anna and question their integrity.

Now like the previous readers point, you are either trying to be a non conformist and stand out or you are going to be directly affected by the lokpal bill becuase you are involved in some scam yourself.

going by your personality i think its the former.

This bill might affect both the congress and the BJP, clearly the team Anna is not being propped up by anyone else but the people.

SIGN THE BIll AND BE DONE WITH THIS ALREADY. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION TO PUT HIM BEHIND BARS AND LET SHEILA DIXIT GO SCOTT FREE.

@Glimpses ..... Good to see at least one Shobaa admirer amongst so many Anna Supporters. Whether you like it or not Anna is here to stay. The Delhi police which had imposed restrictions and arrested Anna was seeing sweeping and cleaning the Ram Lila Maidaan for Anna Hazare and it's supporters. What a pity !! 100 jail inmates decided to go on fast coz Anna was fasting. Even they have a conscience, which is lacking in the so called intellectuals. They can only sit in A/C rooms and criticize the initiatives of others. Hope you are intelligent enough to understand what is called the 'People Power'. Else you too can gulp down some Champagne and live in the fools paradise.

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Oh kakaka referred to me as a non conformist. Let me get this right, I have my own independent opinion. At a broader level in the fight against corruption, I agree with Anna. But I don't agree that creating a lokpal in itself will eradicate corruption. I don't agree that creating a new layer of inspection in itself will remove corruption. We need to have a much broader fight against corruption, and fortunately indications are that the fight against corruption will continue even after passing of Lokpal bill.

We in India are prone to idolise someone. This time it's idolising Anna at the cost of the institution - Parliament.His motives might be good, okay fine they are good, but is fasting going to solve the problem? Next time when you jump the signal and slip a Rs 50 note in the hands of the havaldar remind yourself about the jan lokpal and the fast.Change has to come from within. No one can just ride on the wave of one's man popularity and hope things change. They won't, unless you change.So istead of "Anna us" - and "you they" focus on yourself. It can never be an either or.One wrong word from Anna, and he will be doomed. You can't experiment with people's policy on roads. It needs an insitution.

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@Nagesh, kakaka is probably addressing author of this blog, just that his post happened to be next to yours.

Often an argument is made as ifchange within is better than change Outside. But I think they are complementary. Both are equally essential. We need both laws and conscience. We need to do our bit as well as lend support to those who are working towards shaping up an environment for greater good. That is where passing a strong anti-corruption law have role to play.

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After reading all the comments, I couldn't stop myself from commenting again. Some people here mentioned that the change should come from inside and not outside. Well said! One must understand that no country is corruption free. However, in the states, I dont recall any incident where I had to give 50 dol to a cop or bribe a government official to get my passport ready? Fine, we can never be corrupt free, so be it! But why is it that a common man suffers every day for the minutest thing to get done? Why does our day start with bribing and ends with bribe? Why is every cop in our system corrupt? Why can't they become stricter in imposing fines for any wrongdoing on the road or else where?

If a common person tries to slip a 50 rs note in his pocket, write him up for a bribe! Make sure s/he goes to court. However, nothing as such occurs in a dialy routine.

We know corruption is there and it will stay, no matter how much we protest. BUT it should make aam junta's life miserable!

The best way to end corruption is to stand your ground and don't pay bribes. Don't break the law. Pay your taxes. Don't litter trash as if you were pigs, destroy public property, pee, spit, and excrete on the side of the roads. Feed poor wild monkeys junk food as I saw today. Dont give your vote to corrupt politicians, criminals and vagabonds Change yourself and see the world change around you. And lastly give Shobhaa a break ....Get the point!

@Shobha de:I just want to add that "Charity does not change the future of a nation".Giving a meal to a starving person will only feed him for a time of a day n nothing else.Its really sad to hear this from someone like u who is considered to be from the intellectual brigade of India.These people like Shobha De may have gone around the world but does'nt know the sufferings of their own nation.They r only visible in their Page 3 and award functions.So we strongly feel that its time for the common man to stand up for their right as they r much or intelligent and experience than so called intellectual people.One advice to u,Don't Pretend Be Real.

. it seems…. those who are not with anna are "TERRORIST" but thay forgotten the fact that even govt has spend millions of rupees to protect kasab . India is not only the biggest democratic country but it has space for all relegions /cultures /groups . so those who are unable to incorporate different opinions/intrests are actually undemocratic people …and they should pls shut ther mouth…

well shobhayou are better at writing novels not wear intellectual hat. The congress party when it can not face the people doles out money to few people who are and ask them to tow their view point and you are falling in that trap.I really wonder how do you qualify to analyse a movement when none in your family has ever done so.just because you praise cnn-ibn on blog guarantees you a ticket to channel talk room that is the type of democracy people are opposing, which does not reads the peoples mood but thinks there intellect and findings much better than others.To understand jan andolans you have to get down and participate yourself practically then only will you understand whatis a movement? Please do not shut your blog and comment page we need people like you to ignite more fire in the movement so that it grows.Shobha Love your work as novelist ajay

Happy to see the energy levels of Indians....its mere desperation of corruption that is driving the bandwagon.People are to go and issues are to be focussed. Hope the nation is not polarised and right causes and consequences are to stay!

Glad I got to watch the CNN-IBN discussion. Yes, people call this so called movement non-violent but like you I have noticed the violence on the comments forum everywhere. I remember someone mentioning that this is a movement of the IT sector because of the technology being used and the number of people supporting from the IT field. Being a software developer myself I find myself wondering how a 74 year old man has hoodwinked the so called professionals to believe that Corruption is something outside of themselves. I am yet to find a friend(I am talking only of the IT community here) who does not own a pirated mp3 that was downloaded or ripped. I know guys and gals who spend the weekend watching DVD's they bought on the footpath. And software, I wonder how many even have a legal copy of windows(except if it came with the laptop). And why even mention porn collections. Ok, all this might be the private lives that I am not to mention...but in office I know guys and girls (being equal) coming late to office and leave early on a regular basis. Is it not the same community that spends office hours browsing the web, on facebook, and twitter and Google+, chatting on IM's, gossiping on their mobiles, spending excessive time in the cafeteria etc. And after all this when it is time for the product release, the same people who wasted work hours complain of stressful work environment. How is it that these people cannot see the corruption in themselves? I am talking of my community as I see it everyday but I believe it is the same in other fields too. I believe the people on the street are a group of blind people following Anna like the rats of Hamelin.

Well said. I was expecting this to be the reason for people like Shobha not following the bandwagon of the people on the streets. But an IT guy like u thinks this way is a relief. I being an IT professional too, have always thought that this should be the awakening call insight out. However you never know the what's in the mind of people when they form a mob. This is like a contagious disease wrapping up everyone that comes in its path. Most of us don't even pause to think what we are following is right or wrong. I am not opposing Anna. I respect him for the courage and dedication he's showing. But roots of corruption can not merely be distroyed by pointing fingers. And just blaiming government is not enough. At the end of the day we forget that this is the government that we have chosen. These are the people who won the elections because of us.

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